The child seeks for independence by means of work; an independence of body and mind.

An interesting piece of work, freely chosen, which has the virtue of inducing concentration rather than fatigue, adds to the child's energies and mental capacities, and leads him to self-mastery.

There is a great sense of community within the Montessori classroom, where children of differing ages work together in an atmosphere of cooperation rather than competitiveness. There is respect for the environment and for the individuals within it, which comes through experience of freedom within the community.

The whole of mankind is one and only one, one race, one class and one society.

The child can only develop fully by means of experience in his environment. We call such experience 'work'.

What the hand does the mind remembers.

The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences.